Primary Urban Area
Encyclopedia
A Primary Urban Area is an area defined by the Department for Communities and Local Government
in the United Kingdom
as a statistical tool for analysing the major cities
of England
, originating as part of their State of the English Cities
report and database.
- that sprawling conurbation
s such as the West Yorkshire Urban Area
, containing multiple distinct settlements with large degrees of physical and social independence, but that happen to touch, end up being treated as if they were a single city.
To enable this, Primary Urban Areas are defined as being based on areas of continuous built-up land containing urban structures that are within 50 metres of each other, while Urban Areas only require that urban land uses should be less than 200 metres apart.
In addition, to qualify as a Primary Urban Area a built-up area must have a population in excess of 125,000. On this basis England had 56 Primary Urban Areas in 2007.
As Primary Urban Areas were created to allow statistical comparisons, and the majority of statistics are produced based on administrative or electoral
geographies, Primary Urban Areas are approximated to local authority and ward
level, or to an additional measure called a tract - similar in size to a ward but designed to be subject to fewer revisions over time. It is for these approximate areas that statistics are available. Wards and tracts, being smaller, allow a greater degree of precision in comparing PUAs, but using local authority-based definitions allow PUA comparisons to be made using the wider range of statistics available at this level.
Primary Urban Areas are designed purely as a tool of statistical analysis and aren't intended to form definitive measures of cities for policy purposes. They are named after the largest settlement within them.
is largely independent of Birmingham
and by some measures has a city-region of its own. Whilst Birmingham dominates the south and east of the area, and Wolverhampton dominates the north and west, the area of conurbation between the two cities (the Black Country
) displays a complex pattern of interdependence both within the area and to the two cities, making statistical separation of the area extremely difficult. This inclusion of Wolverhampton demonstrates differences between PUAs and the Eurostat
equivalent, where Wolverhampton has its own Larger Urban Zone.
When Primary Urban Areas are approximated to local authority areas rather than wards they can also contain rural areas or have parts of the Urban Area excluded from the relevant PUA. The Leeds PUA is an example of the former, where the City of Leeds
local authority area that is contained within the PUA includes a wide rural area in addition to the urban cores; whilst the Manchester PUA does not contain Wilmslow
which is a part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
but outside the local authorities that make up the approximated PUA.
Another issue with the PUA data is what constitutes a continuous urban area. The Greater Manchester PUA for example does NOT include the largely urban boroughs of Wigan, Bolton and Rochdale, all of which are linked strongly with the core city region - for example by transport (via Transport for Greater Manchester), shopping/leisure e.g. Trafford Centre
, various sporting events, administrative history (Greater Manchester County Council
and nightlife. In Bolton for example 33 percent of the working population who live there travel outside the borough to work - 26,190 of them within Greater Manchester. Similar issues exist around many of the core cities. PUA's should therefore be regarded as only one indicator of what constitutes an urban area.
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a statistical tool for analysing the major cities
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, originating as part of their State of the English Cities
State of the English Cities
The State of the English Cities is an on-going study of the social and economic performance of the major cities of England, sponsored by the Communities and Local Government department of the United Kingdom Government....
report and database.
Purpose and definition
The concept of a Primary Urban Area was created in an attempt to enable economic and social comparisons between cities using definitions less arbitrary than the administrative boundaries of local authorities, but avoiding one problem of using the Urban Areas defined by the Office for National StatisticsOffice for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
- that sprawling conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
s such as the West Yorkshire Urban Area
West Yorkshire Urban Area
The West Yorkshire Urban Area is a term used by the Office for National Statistics to refer to a conurbation in West Yorkshire, England, based around the cities of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, and the large town of Huddersfield...
, containing multiple distinct settlements with large degrees of physical and social independence, but that happen to touch, end up being treated as if they were a single city.
To enable this, Primary Urban Areas are defined as being based on areas of continuous built-up land containing urban structures that are within 50 metres of each other, while Urban Areas only require that urban land uses should be less than 200 metres apart.
In addition, to qualify as a Primary Urban Area a built-up area must have a population in excess of 125,000. On this basis England had 56 Primary Urban Areas in 2007.
As Primary Urban Areas were created to allow statistical comparisons, and the majority of statistics are produced based on administrative or electoral
Electoral geography
Electoral Geography is the analysis of the methods, behavior, and results of elections in the context of geographic space and using geographical techniques. Specifically, it is an examination of the dual interaction whereby geographical traits of a territory affects political decisions and...
geographies, Primary Urban Areas are approximated to local authority and ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
level, or to an additional measure called a tract - similar in size to a ward but designed to be subject to fewer revisions over time. It is for these approximate areas that statistics are available. Wards and tracts, being smaller, allow a greater degree of precision in comparing PUAs, but using local authority-based definitions allow PUA comparisons to be made using the wider range of statistics available at this level.
Primary Urban Areas are designed purely as a tool of statistical analysis and aren't intended to form definitive measures of cities for policy purposes. They are named after the largest settlement within them.
Issues with Primary Urban Areas
Primary Urban Areas still suffer to a certain extent from containing multiple distinct settlements with large degrees of independence, but that happen to touch being treated as if they were a single city. A good example of this is within the Birmingham PUA, where WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
is largely independent of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and by some measures has a city-region of its own. Whilst Birmingham dominates the south and east of the area, and Wolverhampton dominates the north and west, the area of conurbation between the two cities (the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
) displays a complex pattern of interdependence both within the area and to the two cities, making statistical separation of the area extremely difficult. This inclusion of Wolverhampton demonstrates differences between PUAs and the Eurostat
Eurostat
Eurostat is a Directorate-General of the European Commission located in Luxembourg. Its main responsibilities are to provide the European Union with statistical information at European level and to promote the integration of statistical methods across the Member States of the European Union,...
equivalent, where Wolverhampton has its own Larger Urban Zone.
When Primary Urban Areas are approximated to local authority areas rather than wards they can also contain rural areas or have parts of the Urban Area excluded from the relevant PUA. The Leeds PUA is an example of the former, where the City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
local authority area that is contained within the PUA includes a wide rural area in addition to the urban cores; whilst the Manchester PUA does not contain Wilmslow
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
which is a part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
Greater Manchester Urban Area
The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation that encompasses the city of Manchester and the continuous metropolitan area that spreads outwards from it, forming much of Greater Manchester in North West England...
but outside the local authorities that make up the approximated PUA.
Another issue with the PUA data is what constitutes a continuous urban area. The Greater Manchester PUA for example does NOT include the largely urban boroughs of Wigan, Bolton and Rochdale, all of which are linked strongly with the core city region - for example by transport (via Transport for Greater Manchester), shopping/leisure e.g. Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
, various sporting events, administrative history (Greater Manchester County Council
Greater Manchester County Council
The Greater Manchester County Council — also known as the Greater Manchester Council — was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater Manchester from 1974 to 1986...
and nightlife. In Bolton for example 33 percent of the working population who live there travel outside the borough to work - 26,190 of them within Greater Manchester. Similar issues exist around many of the core cities. PUA's should therefore be regarded as only one indicator of what constitutes an urban area.
External links
- Map showing the extent of the Primary Urban Areas and Travel to Work Areas for each of the 56 cities Department for Communities and Local Government.
- The State of the Cities Database Online database provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government, providing statistics for a variety of urban geographies, including Primary Urban Areas.
